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User blog:Belle pullman/My Dream Version of the Show
So, if I were to have ultimate directorial control over Starlight Express, with the only provisos being that it is performable, and entertains the audience, this is how I would do it... General Notes So this list includes named scenes of “recit” more or less, the sung-through dialogue, so the list seems intimidating as a running order but in fact it's not significantly more than the current approx 2 hour show. Generally, I want the cast to have a fair amount of flexibility with tick-overs (distinctive character based ad-libs and repeated motions) and playing about with the characters, to emphasise the human side of the anthropomorphic characterisation, while costume and story reinforce the toy train elements. Gender Balance We've seen in Stex2018 the creative team's attempt to balance out the gender issue - they have tried to take two conflicting approaches at the same time. Is there anything special about female engines? Is Mama special for being female and an engine, or are all types of rolling stock commonly all genders? My answer is that in this world, "Gender" is Engine / Truck as a metaphor for Male / Female. We've always had male trucks, they're clearly equal in importance to the female coaches, no matter what they say in "Freight"! Equally engines can present as we, the audience, recognise as "Male" or "Female", but they're engines. They provide the pulling power that moves the trucks, the trucks provide the service that justifies the engine's journey. Neither has any function without the other. The practical application of this, in my staging, is that all the ensemble roles are performed by any performers, the only allowances being in the proportions of the costume construction - for example, for the National Engines, smaller framed performers would have sleeker, less boxy costumes - suggesting agility rather than brute power. Whether the performers inside these costumes are female or smaller framed male, is completely irrelevant. The only exception to this would be Purse, due to the vocal range of his solo lines being below most female performers. Rockies and Flat Top can be played by anyone, but Dustin needs the height and bulk of a tall performer. And the overall vocal balance of the ensemble needs to be considered. Electra First off, the biggest change I'm making here, Electra is female. In the original cast, Electra was understudied by Nancy Wood, and seems that his big thing about “Switch and change my frequency” was as much bigender as bisexual. Indeed, the 1987 “Concept” album that was produced in place of a Broadway cast album has AC/DC sung by a woman. So I'm restoring the concept rather than coming up with something new. This also tackles the biggest problem of misogyny within the show, that all the engines are big strong males, and the female characters are all decorative, passive players in the game. However this does lead to issues, where in newer versions of the show there's a love triangle with Pearl choosing between Rusty and Electra. While I'd love to explore the emotional depths of a young girl dealing with her first “girl crush”, I don't think Starlight really offers us the platform, so again reverting to the original, where she's dreaming of her dream train, and incidentally agrees to race with Electra as she otherwise didn't have a partner at all. Dinah Another significant change is that Dinah does not end up forgiving her abusive boyfriend. Too often in real life, I've heard "But he's truly sorry, he's changed! It'll be different this time!" and it never is different, only worse than before. Dinah is the character most people I know find to be most personally relatable, and she has the opportunity to be a positive role model simply by learning to be independent. Caboose Caboose is a "Nice Guy". He's had a crush on Dinah, has worked to be her friend, comforted her when her bastard boyfriend hurt her... And does she show any interest in him in return? No! Is this his motivation for causing chaos in the final races? Song List - Act One Overture The magical orchestral overture, complete with the toy trains that had been running round the set during incoming magically coming to life! (Skate-round by cast in near blackout) The sweeping repetitions of the “Starlight Express” melody build and build, and something magical is about to happen, when - Rolling Stock We're run over by a diesel train! Loud rock interruption as the reigning champion introduces himself, with his gang of anonymous black diesel engines. Dazzling spectacle of skating tricks and aggression, bit of breaking 4th wall to interact with audience in dance break. Call Me Rusty / Rusty Can't Be Serious Later London version. Little Rusty the steam shunter gets pushed around by Greaseball and gang (But not the Nationals with their “where's my schedule!”, not met the Nationals yet.) Rusty goes to fetch the coaches, indignant and angry, not taking sufficient care pulling the coaches. The girls don't see champion potential in Rusty. A Lotta Locomotion Original version, each coach having a verse to herself. Cute, bouncy, peppy, introducing us to the girls. No slow version of “He Whistled”. Freight Original version, including Caboose. Plenty of interaction between the freight, coaches, and Rusty watching off to one side. Entry of the National Engines Control announces the start of the racing, each competitor comes forward, starting with Greaseball, then all 6 Nationals (including Princey) and as he's finishing, Control announces a slight problem, a power drain, all the lights dim, all the characters (Coaches, Freight, Nationals, Rusty) power down... AC/DC And a single laser pierces the gloom, spreads to a cone, and strange shadowy shapes appear, the first has a gun! The components introduce themselves, complete with New London banter (Electra must be rich to have his own repair truck!/or unreliable, hurhur...) The bridge spins amidst flashing lights, and here SHE COMES... She's smooth, elegant, effortlessly powerful and in control. Her five components respond to her slightest gesture, her presence is hypnotic. She controls electricity and magnetism, pulling anyone she wants to her. And Pearl is the newest, shiniest thing there, she pulls the coach closer, and everyone else spirals around them, until Electra breaks the formation to finish the song. Pumping Iron As Electra takes her applause, a furious Diesel is heard from the back of the auditorium. Greaseball comes in full speed, as different to Electra as imaginable, all testosterone and muscle. Electra and components retreat to the side of the stage, the freight and nationals are around the back and other side. As Greaseball sings, he pulls first fiery Joule, then ice queen Volta into dancing with him. After watching a few moments, Electra storms off in disgust while Greaseball dances rock'n'roll moves on wheels with the girls. The freight and Nationals are ticking over or boogeing along, with quite a lot of freedom for the performers to ad-lib. Greaseball finishes, posing, with “Man, I am SO Beautiful, I'm Pumping Iron”. Coda Freight / Hitching and Switching Electra comes back in, zaps Greaseball to get his attention, and formally challenges him to race. Control announces that everyone needs to find a partner, and one by one, the competitors pick partners. At the end, Pearl finds herself having missed out, as each engine who came forward wasn't right, and another wagon got there first. Rusty hasn't entered as a racer, but asks Pearl what's wrong. She's waiting for her dream train to whistle at her – Rusty volunteers he has a whistle? But no, that's not right. Pearl drifts off into a dream... He Whistled At Me Rather than Pearl deliberating between two “lovers”, one of whom she met 5 minutes ago, Pearl sings an upbeat number about her dream train... who sounds remarkably like a steam train who she might have just been having a conversation with. But not quite. A more confident, more accomplished steam train. Pearl, You've Been Honoured Purse, Electra's money truck, appears and pleads with Pearl to race with his mistress. Pearl asks if Electra can whistle – Purse is shocked and disgusted at the suggestion. But, Pearl can race with Electra or sit in the sidings, so she follows Purse. Race: Heat One Four race structure – four engines, two winners make the final. The melodies in the race music reflect the action, different tunes representing different competitors. Call Me Rusty, Wide Smile, No Comeback... * Greaseball – Dinah * Bobo – Ashley * Turnov – Caboose * Hashamoto – Volta The first race is a dirty business, a lot of underhand cheating between Greaseball and Caboose. First Turnov is incapacitated, then Caboose breaks Volta and steals Hashamoto. Then he drives Hashamoto into a crash while Greaseball slows Bobo enough to pass and take first place. Bobo and Ashley take the second place. Technically the other two racers don't even complete the race. (Key point - Electra is NOT in this race. The big head to head excitment comes later.) That was Unfair / There's Me Dinah is upset that they cheated, which angers Greaseball and he dumps her. Caboose comes in to talk to Greaseball, and sees Dinah crying in the corner. He makes to leave with Greaseball, but returns to sing to Dinah. Duet version, Caboose gently lifts Dinah's spirits and encourages her. But what are his motives? He seems genuinely sweet and caring for her, but has just conspired to throw the race with her now ex-boyfriend. Poppa's Blues Poppa is in the freight yard with the freight – Rockies, Flat-top, and Dustin. He's singing the Blues – a song with no direct relation to the show, but it's somewhat iconic. The Freight are ad-libbing, the Rockies showing off dance moves. Rusty Why You Looking Sad A depressed Rusty comes in, he's in love with Pearl but she wouldn't believe he was the engine for her, and he didn't qualify for a place in the race so can't prove himself. But Poppa's not listening, he's remembering the days when he was a winner, him and his old sleeping car... Belle's Song From behind an old buffer, emerges Belle, singing of her past glory days. She may not have looks and youth, but experience is important... Poppa and Belle tell Rusty to believe in the Starlight Express, to not give up hope. Control interrupts and announces the cancellation of the British train – to Rocky 1's devastation, he's lost his race partner. But that means there's a free space! Poppa and Belle turn to Rusty, but he's sulking. Not without Pearl. Poppa instead turns to Belle, and they couple up to race one last time. Race: Heat Two * Electra – Pearl * Poppa – Belle * Ruhrgold – Joule * Espresso – Buffy A real generation clash – Electra and Pearl are a much lighter and more agile team, and Electra has the ability to shock her opponents. But she is also over-confident and lacking strategy, and Pearl has no racing experience, leading to them grossly under-estimating the older pair. Joule, Electra's component, works to derail Espresso and Buffy, but wants second place for herself and Ruhrgold, but at the last minute they're overtaken by Poppa and Belle who take the second place. Electra and Poppa have a place in the final. Laughing Stock the Freight and non-racing Components gathered at the finish line – the components left with their winning mistress, and Rusty and Freight rush over to congratulate Poppa. But he collapses in exhaustion, too old to race anymore. He begs Rusty to take his place, but Rusty turns away. Greaseball and his gang burst in, and mock Rusty, pushing him around. Electra, Pearl and Components sweep in, Pearl sings that this might be her dream – they won after all! Then a little voice, Caboose encourages Rusty to try, he's got a friend... Rusty symbolically takes Poppa's helmet and agrees to race. Starlight Express (song) Rusty, left alone, reflects on the legend of the Starlight Express. But he doesn't believe this train is real, and asks for a sign, something to have faith in. Interval! Get a drink. You've earned it. Act Two Hymn to Victory / Pearl Twirl Act 2 begins with an orchestral entr'acte, stating the Starlight Express theme, “Call Me Rusty” and “He Whistled At Me”, and flings us into a confusion of an argument as characters appear from all over, laughing at Rusty, Electra mocking Greaseball for racing with a Dining car – good point, Greaseball's left her. Maybe he'll have Pearl instead. Control tries to take control, and Greaseball invites Pearl, breaking Dinah's heart again as her best friend takes up with her ex. Electra is furious too, but they're all swept up in the quest for Victory. (no godawful painfully dated Rap please!) U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. Dinah is left behind when Greaseball and Pearl skate off right past her, Belle, Ashley and Buffy come over and get her to open up. Dinah is a little bit over-dramatic in her devastated grief, but her friends stay with her. Girls' Rolling Stock OR I Got Me With Dinah in a puddle on the floor, the older coaches pick her up and encourage her to fight back... (I'm in two minds here. Girl's Rolling Stock will need some re-writing to the gist of "You don't need that bastard" rather than "Get him back!". On the other hand, "I Got Me" is already basically "You don't need that bastard" and is pretty kick-ass - in this context. The important point is that Dinah is NOT encouraged to go back to her abusive partner, but to break free of him.) Dinah, You're Honoured Purse appears with a well-timed distraction for Dinah - she should race with Electra! That'll show Greaseball! Wide Smile Caboose has just seen Dinah leave with Electra's minion, while he waits to meet in secret with Greaseball and some of his gang. Greaseball wants to know what he's doing helping Rusty, but Caboose explains that he's going to swing it so Greaseball wins. They've not yet seen what Rusty is capable of, and on his own he might be a threat. But Caboose will fix it. (No Electra - Caboose, Greaseball and Gang sing the number. Electra knows nothing about Caboose's machinations) Race: Uphill Final * Greaseball – Pearl * Electra – Dinah * Rusty – Caboose * Bobo – Ashley The race is cancelled halfway through – Greaseball and Electra have gotten so tangled fighting, Ashley's checking Dinah's ok rather than letting Bobo get ahead, and Rusty and Caboose have taken the lead. Greaseball yells at Caboose to “Break/Brake him” (Gotta love Stilgoe puns!) And Caboose sends Rusty crashing down the bowl from the upper level. Control calls a 15 minute break before the re-run, and the marshalls come in to break up the fights and clear up the wreck. I Was Robbed Rusty blames Caboose right away, but the Marshalls ignore him. Greaseball and Caboose congratulate each other, and Pearl finally twigs it was a set up, and threatens to tell the marshalls. Each move she makes takes her further from her dream train. Caboose mocks the broken and bruised Rusty, showing just how insane he truly is, drunk on the destruction. Poor Rusty limps off away from the crash site, and happens across the Rockies. Right Place, Right Time The Rockies share their own unique brand of bleak encouragement. You'll never win, accept it. The three brothers show off their best tricks, breakdancing on wheels. If even these magnificently fit fighters can't win, what hope has Rusty got? None. Starlight Sequence Alone again, an absolutely rock-bottom Rusty cries out the Starlight Express, this legendary engine who Poppa is so sure can help. Mystical lights shine in the darkness, the Starlight Express theme builds from the quietest whisper, Rusty cries out for the Starlight Express – and is answered! By a warm, strong, somehow familiar voice, telling him to look within himself and he can achieve anything. Finally convinced by being in the presence of this mythical spirit, Rusty promises “I won't let you down”. Rusty and Dustin As Rusty picks himself and his race helmet up to head back to the races, he hears a cough. Dustin had been napping nearby, and swears he saw it too... They head off back to the races. Dinah's Disco Dinah, Electra, and components swoop in. Dinah is not impressed with racing with this Electric engine, she's lacking essential apparatus! Dinah has had it, and isn't racing any further. Electra, unperturbed by this, calls Caboose to be her race partner. Electra, having had no involvement in the scheming earlier, doesn't realise why this is a bad idea... The racers for the downhill final assemble, including Rusty with Dustin, the big heavy coal hopper, the least likely race partner (who at this point hasn't raced at all) Race: Downhill Final * Greaseball – Pearl * Electra – Caboose * Bobo – Ashley * Rusty – Dustin It's a dirty race from the outset. Greaseball knocks Bobo and Ashley out early on, giving Electra and Rusty the lead. But Dustin's too heavy, they fall behind. Electra tries to zap Greaseball, but misses, getting Pearl and injuring her. She's careening out of control, but Rusty gives up his pace to rescue her. In the meantime, Greaseball, Electra, and Caboose are bickering and fighting, Caboose getting more and more erratic and switching between them. Rusty and Dustin overtake at the last minute, Electra crosses the finish line behind them, alone, and Greaseball and Caboose never emerge from the tunnel. Everyone else is, of course, waiting at the finish line to congratulate the winner, but Rusty immediately leaves singing “I must find Pearl”. Electra limps across the finish line in his wake... No Comeback Electra is pissed. She has just lost the race in front of EVERYBODY. She zaps electricity back and forth, tries to summon her components but her control over them is sporadic and they fight free. She storms off in a shower of sparks and flashes and following blackout. One Rock'n'Roll Too Many The only light visible is a glow from the tunnel, and a wreck emerges, Caboose and Greaseball have gotten entangled and crushed together. The Freight, Components, Nationals, Ashley and Buffy, are all watching their humiliating and entertaining defeat. Poppa and Belle roll in, demanding to know what's happened to Rusty. Dustin tells them he went looking for Pearl – what happened to Pearl? Greaseball and Caboose are dragged up to take everyone to where they last saw her. Only You Pearl, on her own and injured, stops to reflect that her one true friend, the one who really loves her, has been there all the time and she's behaved awfully towards him, and her best friends. Oh dear. Rusty finds her, and she apologises for making him lose the race. But he didn't lose, she made him win! (She sings the simpler solo version of the original song, the “Du Allein” version rather than the huge belt version or the more modern over-produced version) Rusty King of the Track Poppa and the ensemble catch up with them to give Rusty congratulations for winning, and getting the girl. Greaseball and Caboose have gotten that far then collapsed, no longer wrecked together. Ashley and Buffy reflect on the events "I Love it when romance occurs on the railroad..." Dinah is with them, and as Greaseball reaches out to her, she turns and moves away from him, to her friends. ("Greaseball you're hurt" lines cut - she is not going back to the abusive, violent ex.) Light At The End Of The Tunnel Poppa suggests that Greaseball could be converted to Steam, which has the appeal of being independent from Control, who takes exception at this. Poppa then leads a rousing song about hope and steam power. (At some point Electra comes back onstage in time for bows, possibly not until the megamix. She and Caboose finish the show unredeemed- Caboose has has his come-uppance in that he caused the crash and cost Electra the championship, but Electra has left in a storm of humiliation. As a character she has no reason to be happy clappy along with the end of the story, so it would make sense for her not to come back til the megamix I guess?) Megamix Fun recap of the characters and songs – extended bows essentially, plus audience interaction, cheesy but a lot of fun! Then in the German tradition, the band run onstage for a final bow with the cast, and switch to canned exit music. Category:Blog posts